Self-centering awl



July 8, 1947. v v R. R. LUBEN ETAL 2,423,511

SELF-CENTERING AWL Filed March 12, 1946 IN VE N TORS.

Ra mend R. Luben BY bar! 67 E122 A TTORNEX Patented July 8, 1947 ()F F ICE L'RaymondlR.-l uben shelton,"aind"Elbert C(tFord, Woodbridge, Conn.

'Appli'eation "March- 12, 1946, Serial No. 653,771

This invention; relates to-improvements'imhand tools dithe=zc1asgggenerallyknownfas self ceriter ingawis", onp'unches, for the useaof carpentersfarrd like: artisans; :to locate and; for-m the :hole 115012 a screw: by' which hinges; fixtures, andalike articles, are attachedzzto-wooden frames, or Jpanels. The improvedIselfieentering awl :of this invention :is particularly-federated for centeziingithe screw: hole formedtherebyi'in resp'ect to the countersink for the heador the -"screw usually prov-ided in hinges, or fixturesa'nd is rovided withmeansto force a screw hole forming member- 0f 'the tool-into the support for the hinge, :or 'fix-ture, and means wherebylthe hole forming member may be -rea'dily removed from a hole-formed thereby.

One object of this invention is to=provide*an improved form of self centering "aw-1501' punch.

dinotiiernbjeet is to provide ina self centering awl of the above nature improved-'means-whereby the-screw hole-forming member may be retracted from' t'h'e hole formed thereby.

Stillanother object is "to generallyimprove the 'structure o'f atoolof the above nature in' its e'ntirety.

"A further object of thisinvention istoprovide an improved self centerin awl, or punch; which will 'be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, simple-in construction.- of pleasing" appearance, light in*wi'ght,"and ver efncientand-durablein use.

With these and other ohjectsin viewwhich will appear'as the flescriptionpro'ceeds', there has been illustrated in "the a-ccompanying drawings, one form: in which the features and principles of this invention may be practically and. conveniently embodied.

"Inthe drawings:

Fi'gure 1-isan-elevational'view'of a tool embodying inits structure the features and principles of this invent-ion;

-".Fig u-re 2 lsa sectional "view "ofthe "tool of this inventionjtaken-onthe lined-2 Tof Figure '1; and

'Fi'gure is a view'of thetool'ofthisirivention afiterfheving formeda hole and showin the'use o'f a structural feature"thereofwhereby the hole fanningmember'mayberemoved'fromthe article inwhiehthe hole wasforme'd.

Referring-now to-thte drawingywhe'rein like reference numerals" designate like partsthroughout the-'severalliviews, ?the reference numeral H denotes .a baseplate o'fa fixt'ure, or the leaf of a hingehaving a countersink L2 in which the head ofa screw wiil se'at when thebase plate', or hinge, l-l issecured to a sunportmember [3. In order to =efiicientlysecure thelbase plate. or hinge; H to 2 a supportitis desirable that theaxis of the screw hole 14 formed therein is substantilaly atright angles-to the face of the plate, or hinge.

The improved toolof thisin vention comprises a cylindrical casing.- I O havinga cone-shaped lower'end l5 ada.pted:tofit into the screw head receiving countersink. l2 in. a base plate, orhinge, H. casing l0 and is spaced above the cone-shaped end [5 -by-a narrow cylindrical portion [1. The main body -l8 of the casing I0 is spaced above the groove 7 l 6 by a cylindricalportion 1 i9, and is preferably knurled to-fifacilitate holding by a user of the tool. Another cylindrical casing --por-- ti0n-2| extends abovethe main body-portion l8. The-cylindrical-portions ll, Hi and 2| are preferably ofrsmallerdiameter than the diameter of the knurled body portion l 8-..

The oasing=l0 is-, provided with a bore 22 extending the greater part of its length, i and: with a bore 23 theremaining part of itslength. IJhe bore 22 'is considerably larger in diameter than the bo-re i3 whereby an -upward-lyfacing shoulder 24-is iormedat the=junctionthereo The bore 23' is adapted toreceive and act 'asaguide bearing for 'a stem 25 of a screw hole forming member I he stem 25 is provided with along pointed lower endfiZfi. Th hole forming mem- "ber extends upwardly through the bores 23 and 2'2 and is enlarged'in diameter at the upper end of the stem 25 to forma eylindrical collar 2 1. The collar-'21 is adapted to slide axially in, and be guide'd'by, thebore 22. 'A cylindrical striki s end 28 is formed on the upper'errd'of thehol'e v forming member and'extends upwardly from the collar '2'! beyond th'e upper end. of the casing Ill in position to be struck 'bya'hammer to drive the pointed end 26 of the stem'ie'downwardly into a support 13 to? form a screw hole-therein, see dotted'li'nes in Figure 2. Intermediate the collar 21' 'andthestern 25 the screw liole'forming member has a portion 211 slightly enlarged in diameter'tdform'a downwardly facing shoulder 30 which "acts as "a stop shoulder by "engaging the shoulder 24 in "thebore'to limit the "downwardfm'ovement. of the? screwhole forming memher.

A coiledspring '29is disposed in-the bore of the'cas'ing fllto react between the shoulder 24- and "the collar ET, an'd is ten-shined to constantly urge the' screw hol 'form'irig member u'pwardly with the pointed end '26 -of the stem 25 substantially in its entirety within the bore 23. The up er end edge -3 I- of the casin In is spun inwardly olfer the iippeY' fzie er the collar 2'! An annular groove 16 is formed about the to form a downwardly facing stop shoulder 32 to prevent the stem 25 being forced upwardly out of the casing by the spring 29.

Th improved structural feature of providing a completely cylindrical stem 25 adapted to freely and axially slide in the bores 22 and 23 of a casing Iii insures efficient operation without the tendency to bind, the stem being free to rotate with the rotative movement of the spring 29 as it is compressed and released. Due to this freedom of movement no appreciable wear is sustained upon th spring ends, the shoulder 24, or the collar 27. The crimping, or spinning, over of the end edge 3! of the casing H) to form a stop shoulder 32 provides an inexpensive and efiicient method of holding the stem 25 in the casing Ill.

In many instances the pointed end 26 of the stem 25 is driven into closely grained wood or other tough material whereby it is held firmly therein and is thus unable to be retracted by the spring 29 after a screw hole has been formed. The improved tool of this invention has therefore been provided with means whereby the point 26 may be readily retracted by the use of one or other tools usually carried by the user. Figure 3 illustrates th use of a claw hammer 33 for retracting the point 26 from the support l3 into which it was driven. The spaced apart claws 34 of the hammer 33 are inserted in the annular groove I of the casing IE and by swinging the hammer 33 the claws 34, acting on the downwardly facing annular shoulder 35 formed by the groove {3, will pry the point It upwardly sufficiently to free it from the support l3. The provision of a groove It in position to receive a prying tool such as the claws 34, improves the structure of a tool, of the nature described above, whereby it will be more eflicient in use.

While there has been shown and described herein one form of an improved self centering awl, or punch, it is to be understood that the features and principles of this invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit and essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the claim rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope ofthe invention.

Having thus fully disclosed the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to secur Letters Patent, is:

1. In a self centering awl, a casing having a cylindrical bore therethrough, a hole forming member axially slidable and rotatable in the bore in said casing, said member having a cylindrical collar adjacent its upper end, a coiled spring engaging said collar to urge said member upwardly into said casing, the upper end of said casing being spun over the said collar to form a stop shoulder to be engaged by said collar, and a member portion extending from the collar beyond the upper end of the casing.

2. In a self centering awl, a casing having a bore, a hole forming member axially slidable in the bore of the casing to be driven beyond the lower end thereof and into a support member to form a hole therein, said casing having a coneshaped lower end adapted to be seated in a .countersink formed in the support member and having a downwardly facing shoulder formed thereon, spaced upwardly from the cone-shaped end and adapted to be engaged by an upwardly prying tool to free and release the hole forming member from the support member.

3. In a self centering awl, a casing having a bore, a hole forming member axially slidable in the bore of the casing to be driven beyond the lower end thereof and into a support member to form a hole therein, said casing having a coneshaped lower end adapted to be seated in a countersink formed in the support member and having an annular groove formed therein adjacent to and spaced above the cone shaped end to form an upwardly directed shoulder and to receive an upwardly prying tool adapted to engage said shoulder to free and raise the hole forming member from the support member.

4. In a self centering awl, a casing having a cylindrical bore therethrough, a, hole forming member axially slidable and rotatable in the bore in said casing, said member having a cylindrical collar adjacent its upper end, a coiled spring engaging said collar to urge said member upwardly. into said casing, the upper end of said casing being spun over the said collar to form a stop shoulder to be engaged by said collar, a member portion extending from th collar beyond the upper end of the casing, for use in driving the lower end of the hole forming member into a support member, said casing having a downwardly directed shoulder formed thereon adjacent its lower end adapted to be engaged by an upwardly prying tool to release the hole forming member from the support member.

5. In a self centering awl, a casing having a cylindrical bore therethrough, a hole forming member axially slidable and rotatable in the bore in said casing, said member having a cylindrical collar adjacent its upper end, a coiled sprin engaging said collar to urge said member upwardly into said casing, the upper end of said casing being spun over the said collar to form a stop shoulder to be engaged by said collar, a member portion extending from the collar beyond the upper end of the casing, for use in driving the lower end of the hole forming member into a support member, said casing having an annular groove formed therein adjacent its lower end to form a downwardly directed shoulder and to receive an upwardly prying tool adapted to engage said shoulder to free and raise the hole forming member from the support member.

6. In a self centering awl, a casing having a cylindrical bore therethrough, a hole forming member axially slidable and rotatable in the bore in said casing, said member having a cylindrical collar adjacent its upper end, a coiled spring engaging said collar to urge said member upwardly into said casing, the upper end of said casing being spun over the said collar to form a stop shoulder. to be engaged by said collar, a member portion extending from the collar beyond the upper end of the casing, for use in driving the lower end of the hole forming member into a support member, said casing having a cone-shaped lower end adapted to be seated in a countersink formed in the support member and having a downwardly directed shoulder formed thereon having a stem portion extending through the casing and into the second bore therein, a cylindrical collar portion of said member at the upper end of said stem portion and being axially slidable and rotatable in said first bore, a coiled spring in said casing engaging the said collar to urge said member upwardly, an annular stop shoulder formed at the upper end of said casing and overlying the upper surface of said collar to retain said member in said casing, and a member portion extending from the collar beyond the upper end of the casing, for use in driving the lower end of the hole forming member into a support member, said casing having a cone-shaped lower end adapted to be seated in a countersink formed in the support member and having an annular groove formed therein adjacent its lower end to form a downwardly directed shoulder and to receive an upwardly prying tool adapted to engage said shoulder to free and raise the hole forming member from the support member.

8. In a self centering awl, a casing having, a cylindrical bore therethrough, a hole forming member axially slidable and rotatable in the bore in said casing, said member having a cylindrical collar adjacent its upper end, a coiled spring engaging said collar to urge said member upwardly into said casing, the upper end of said casing being spun over the said collar to form a stop shoulder to be engaged by said collar, a member portion extending from the collar beyond the upper end of the casing, for use in driving the lower end of the hole forming member into a support member, said casing havin an upwardly facing shoulder in its interior adjacent its lower end, and said hole forming member having a downwardly facing shoulder formed thereon to engage the shoulder in said casing to limit the downward movement of said hole forming member.

9. In a self centering awl, a casing having a cylindrical bore therethrough, a hole forming member axially slidable and rotatable in the bore in said casing, said member having a cylindrical collar adjacent its upper end, a coiled spring engaging said collar to urge said member upwardly into said casing, the upper end of said casing being spun over the said collar to form a stop shoulder to be engaged by said collar, a member portion extending from the collar beyond the upper end of the casing, for use in driving the lower end of the hole forming member into a support member, said casing having an upwardly facing shoulder in its interior adjacent its lower end, and said hole forming member having a downwardly facing shoulder formed thereon to engage the shoulder in said casing to limit the downward movement of said hole forming member, said casing having a downwardly directed shoulder formed thereon adjacent its lower end adapted to be engaged by an upwardly prying tool to release the hole forming member from the support member.

RAYMOND R. LUBEN. ELBERT C. FORD.

REFERENCES SPEED The following re'ieren es are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 445,380 Philip Jan, 27, 1891 787,064 Welter Apr. 11, 1905 863,909 Evans Aug. 20, 1907 1,259,335 Acton Mar. 12, 1918 2,161,969 Mange June 13, 1939 

